In
every collection, there exists a Grail. Rarity matters not. Price matters
not. Size matters not. All that matters is the significant emotional resonance
that connects collectible and collector. The longer and more difficult the
journey to acquire it, the stronger the bond is.

And
there can be many grails over the years. As collectors grow and mature, their
tastes and perceptions can shift. If a collector begins as a child, their first
grail may be the large fifty dollar playset that only the long wait until
Christmas will bring. When they become adults, it may become a highly limited
edition statue. And in the twilight years, it may be an old faded cardback and
the lifetime of memories that faded image brings. Or perhaps the Grail has in
fact become that grandchild to whom the collection and legacy have been passed.

A month
from now, I will be 26 years old, and my tenure in true Star Wars
collecting will have been thirteen years—half of my lifetime—and I have had many
grails in that time. In the beginning, it was a Darth Vader lightsaber, the one
toy from my pre-kindergarten years that I passed on and regretted for many
years. I wanted the chance to make it right, and 1995’s Power of the Force 2
electronic version became the jewel of my newly-born collection. In high
school, it was the Icons replica of Vader’s Episode IV lightsaber.

Yes,
there was a pattern developing there.

Now in
my mid-20s, my Grail is once more related to the Dark Lord of the Sith. And it
is the very subject of this extensive review. You may want to get cozy, dear
readers, because this is one very long review.

Without
further ado, I present the Revenge of the Sith Darth Vader 1/6th
scale action figure from Medicom’s Real Action Heroes line.

Helmet– Above Average

The jet
black genderless helmet of Darth Vader is one of the most recognizable icons in
both film history and modern pop culture. Even those who have never seen a
Star Wars movie can immediately identify it. It is a symbol that has
endured many decades and many bizarre renditions. If you doubt that last part,
just check out the pictures from the Vader Project posted on in the “Random”
gallery from SDCC 2007

The
Dark Lord’s cybernetic rebirth in Revenge of the Sith allowed designers
revisit and modify Vader’s helmet, part of an overall edict by George Lucas to
costume designer Trisha Biggar to make Vader darker and more mechanical. The
original mask used in Episodes IV-VI was sculpted by hand and therefore
asymmetrical to a degree despite the best efforts of the artisans involved. In
the 21st century, computer technology would correct that error, and
Vader’s mask was made as perfect and devoid of human touch as can be.

So how
does the Medicom helmet size up?

Well
from the best visual analysis, the symmetry appears to be intact as does the
general shape. When viewed at certain angles, it does appear to be undersized
and disproportionate to the filming helmet, but this is a trick of the eye.
Using reference images and eyeball measuring the edges of the helmet flare to
the stripes on the breast plate show an accurate width, and all the grooves and
fine details match up very well.

As
opposed to using interchangeable portraits and adapter systems like Sideshow has
done with their sixth-scale Leia in Boushh Disguise figure, Medicom created a
three-piece removable helmet that entombs the scarred Anakin Skywalker portrait
beneath. The sculpted details are very precise and correlate to the actual
helmet once again. The voice processor and nutrient feeding tubes are an
example of the amazing work done by the sculptors.

So why
does this helmet not rate as “Excellent”?

First
and foremost, the plastic feels too cheap and fragile—especially when compared
against the rest of the plastic pieces in the costume. As Medicom and Tomy are
part of the same overall company, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this helmet
feels very similar to the Tomy mini-helmets distributed state-side by Gentle
Giant. Unfortunately, those are $5 trinkets and hardly worthy of a figure that
costs $120 and beyond. Additionally, there are several small bubbles in the
plastic on the rear of the locking helmet as well. Likely, this was a glitch in
the production line, but it eliminates a smooth flow to the helmet. Also, the
paint applications on the helmet details are both soft and slightly sloppy in
areas. Lastly, the helmet doesn’t lock together as well as it should, and it
has the tendency to shift out of place if bumped.

All of
these flaws diminish the overall accuracy of the helmet, but nearly every other
aspect of this figure will overshadow and redeem this initial bump in the road.

Scarred Anakin Portrait- Excellent

Once a
handsome and fearless hero of the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker was forced to
wear the scars of the Dark Side for the rest of his days as a symbol of his
misguided allegiance. His skin cracked and blistered into a leathery shell of
its former self, the fallen Jedi’s defeat on Mustafar was hidden from all by his
intimidating breathing mask and helmet.

But
thanks to Medicom, collectors can gaze upon that pitiful visage whenever they so
desire. But just how accurate is it to the film’s depiction?

The
greatest inconsistency is the base color of the entire portrait. Medicom
painted Anakin’s head in varying shades of brown with reddish hues mixed into
the major wounds. In actuality, the color palette needed to be based in shades
of pink and red. The resulting effect would be a portrait that looked like
blistering raw meat, an appearance closer to Christensen’s filming makeup as
well as real world third degree burns. However, one could posit the argument
that this is what Vader’s burnt flesh would have looked like after cooling down
after a few months but before decades of concealment bleached the skin
Joker-white.

The
only other demerit against the portrait is that the color of Vader’s Sith Eyes
is incorrect. The movies as well as Sideshow’s own Darth Vader (Sith
Apprentice) figure show that the correct pattern is a luminous yellow iris
enclosed with a thin ring of red around the perimeter. The irises on this
figure are a bizarre greenish gold with a black ring around them.

But
those problems are only noticeable when directly comparing to the source
materials. Medicom, on the whole, nailed the scarred portrait. The sculptors
overseas successfully blended determination with great sadness and
self-condemnation into a single facial expression. Additionally, Hayden’s
likeness, while quite understandably very difficult to see, is actually present
in the portrait. Several pictures floating around the Internet have Anakin’s
hair from the film Photoshopped onto this portrait, and the resemblance truly
surfaces in those pictures. Below is a quick Photoshop picture combining the
Medicom Vader with the Sideshow Anakin, and the two portraits sync up nearly
seamlessly.

As for
the fiery damage, it is top notch in design and execution. The flow of the
burns is very similar to the filming makeup. They also match the contours of
Vader’s human face very well. This is particularly noticeable and impressive
around the lips where the burnt flesh pulls toward them and tightens up at the
edges. Looking at the sculpting, one almost expects the skin to pull, crack,
and ooze if the lips were to part. The top and back of the head are especially
gruesome with the major scars seen in Return of the Jedi realized here in
their fresh forms. The deep scar running across the scalp is painted a dark
gory red with the skin cracked along the edges like a deep sea trench. As for
the back of the head, that is one big area of cracked skin that very much
resembles heavily peeling paint on a brick wall.

One
last interesting point: the head is actually hollow and somewhat soft. If you
pinch it, you can feel it give way slightly, but doing that more than once
and/or heavily forcing it the first time is more than likely a bad idea. Early
reports also indicate that Sideshow’s recently-released Asajj Ventress
sixth-scale figure also sports a hollow head, an apparent first for the SSC
Star Wars line. Overall, it makes no impact on the quality and presentation
of the portrait, but it’s an interesting design choice nevertheless.

Moving
on to the remaining five-sixths of the figure, we will examine the RAH Darth
Vader in more specialized categories. First up is the collection of components
that constitute Vader’s upper body armor, and the best encapsulating description
is they are an excellent example of how overall craftsmanship and presentation
can effectively dwarf flaws.

First
under the microscope is the chain which keeps Vader’s cape attached to his
body. Since it’s metal rather than soft good, it’s included in this category
rather than with the later discussion of the cape. As briefly mentioned
earlier, many changes were made to Vader’s suit and armor for Revenge of the
Sith, changes that were more dramatic than the subtle variations found
across Episodes IV through VI. One such alteration was changing
the color of the Dark Lord’s neck chain from silver to black. The links are
appropriately scaled, and the chain is adequately glued to the breast plate so
as to prevent easy breakage. While the chain can get easily caught in the space
between plate and the helmet’s neck piece, it is very easy to untangle and
readjust. The only detriment with the chain is that it drapes too low on the
breast plate. However, it appears as though it could be easily adjusted by
gluing the ends further back on the plate, so this may just be a factory goof on
this particular sample. At any rate, it’s an insignificant error.

Next,
we will examine the armored breast plate, which according to reference material
is intended to shield Vader’s respiratory cybernetics from damage. Each element
of the figure’s plate is an excellent match to the filming costume. The
alternating black and silvery gray paint deco matches the costume as well as the
length from neck to mid-torso. The black stripes do look a bit too curvy on the
Medicom figure, but it is once again something only noticeable during a
scrutinizing side-by-side comparison. On a functional level, the rounded-off
gray plates on each end are separate from the main breast plate and are tethered
by a slightly flexible plastic strip. The reason: to allow some minor give when
articulating the arms. It is still impossible to achieve a full range of
vertical motion with the arm, but it opens things up by a few degrees.

As for
the chest-mounted control panel, the overall design is spot-on to the filming
costume. The most impressive aspect of the panel is the sculpting done on the
life functions sensor arrays, designed to monitor cardiovascular and
neurological readings. These are the vertical pieces of metal running along the
sides of the control panel. Each of the rings and their spacing is absolutely
identical to the filming costume, an impressive achievement given their small
scale on the figure. The only flaw is that the silver paint could stand to be a
tad more metallic. Big deal, right?

Before
moving on to the belt and its mounted control boxes, here are a few pieces of
interesting trivia relating to the boxes, and these details can be found in the
limited run Vader: The Ultimate Guide digest. Each switch on the chest
panel control vital areas of Vader’s life support system, but there is a
failsafe in place to prevent easy manipulation by an adversary. The controls
only become active when the second green button on the secondary system function
box is pressed. That box is mounted on Vader’s belt on his left hand side.
Think of it as locking the keys on your cell phone to prevent accidental phone
calls. Additionally, the chest control panel lacks some of the subtle details
of Medicom’s Jedi version such as the small Aurebesh writing above each
card slot. However, this is not their oversight. The Sith version of
the suit does in fact omit this text.

The
belt and codpiece both straddle the accuracy line. The electromagnetic clasp
(i.e. – fancy name for the buckle) is 100% faithful to the filming costume,
ranging from the color to the number, spacing, and sizes of the dashes cut into
the left side. Both control boxes are also extremely faithful to the source.
However, there is no place whatsoever to hang the lightsaber hilt from the
belt. Granted, it never appeared on camera, but it is an unspoken expectation
to include this feature on any Jedi or Sith figure. Adding insult to injury
here is that the Jedi version of Vader did supply a hook from which to
hang the Episode VI hilt. As for the codpiece, the general shape and
length is accurate, but the indentation is incorrect. Based on reference
images, the indented portion in the middle should be more recessed and rounded
than the way it’s sculpted on the figure.

Boots and Shin Guards
- Excellent

The
final components of Darth Vader’s armor are his boots and shin guards. These
are relatively straightforward in design with the ridges, grooves, and rivets in
complete sync with the filming costume. Cast in what feels to be soft vinyl,
their reflective properties simulate the metal of the “real” Darth Vader suit.
What works best here are the two piece construction and the positive impact that
this has on posing. Rather than being one solid piece, the shin guard is
separate from the boot, which allows greater flexibility at the ankle. However,
since Medicom’s ankles are typically brittle, it is best to pop the foot off the
body, make the necessary adjustments, and replace the foot. It may sound
complicated, but the entire process takes less than half a minute. Just
exercise caution when removing the foot. The best bet is to pull it straight
out.

Soft Goods: Bodysuit, Robes, and Cape- Excellent

The
boots and shin guards effectively end the discussion on both Vader’s armor and
the plastic portion of the core costume. All that remains aside from the
accessories are the soft goods. On Vader, they are spread out across three key
sections: bodysuit, robes, and cape. A variety of materials were employed in
their construction, and each section of the soft goods has their own strengths
and little weaknesses.

While
Vader’s armor varied from film to film, one constant has always been the shiny
leather bodysuit underneath it all. For the Revenge of the Sith version,
there is only one major difference. The suit is looser fitting because of the
vast differences in the physical size and build between Dave Prowse and Hayden
Christensen. Keeping that point in mind, Medicom has not only faithfully
replicated a 1/6th scale pleather version of Vader’s bodysuit but
they have also made this suit baggier than the one found on their earlier
Return of the Jedi Vader release, perfectly replicating the differences in
performers. The suit stretches to a certain degree because of elasticity in the
material. It has its limitations, but they are few in number. Additionally,
the pleather bunches up in most of the right places—particularly in the knees
just behind and above the shin guards. One place it shouldn’t do this is where
the glove meets arm. In reality, the arms of the suit should continue into the
gloves, but Medicom failed to allow that empty space with their gloves.
Therefore, the suit bunches up considerably in these areas.

The
cape is both the most fascinating and most perplexing component in this soft
goods category. It looks very faithful to the on-screen appearance of the
fallen Jedi, but when you spread it out to full size, that’s another story.
This cape is extremely large and appears to be based on the cape
used in promotional stills. I cannot be 100% certain, but it looks as though
two different size capes were made for the suit. The filming costume had a
normal length cape similar to that found in the Original Trilogy. However, the
promotional stills display a very dramatic, flowing cape that could wrap itself
around Vader. The latter is the capeMedicom
has provided.

Personally, the massive cape is preferred because it allows for some very
dramatic poses. Just take another look at the opening picture of this review.
That illustrates the point perfectly. Aiding in the cape’s poseability factor
is a thin wire embedded along the bottom hem. This is similar to Sideshow’s
practice of threading wire through the hems of some soft goods. The purpose
here (as it was there) is to allow “sculpting” of the cape. Unfortunately,
Medicom elected not to continue running the wire up through the vertical hem as
well. The result is a loss in the cape’s ability to hold a wide array of
sculpts. Certainly, collectors are welcome to try adding their own wire to the
hem, but this sample is going to stay “modification free” because it’s not worth
possibly ruining a $130+ figure.

The
cape also has the most uniquely textured material of all the soft goods. Again,
100% certainty is impossible because a materials guide was not included, but it
feels as though a mixture of nylon and polyester with a hint of spandex was used
in its construction. The inner lining seems to be polyester, a conclusion
arrived at by matching the feel of the lining to the feel of exercise pants and
checking their materials tag. The outer material is likely a mixture of nylon
and spandex. Overall, these materials add some definite weight to the cape and
will aid with long term durability in the face of time. Strangely enough, this
is fitting because the canonized version of Vader’s cape is actually composed of
an armor weave cloth designed to withstand the rigors of battle.

As for
the inner robes that run down Vader’s sides and are held tight to his body via
his belt, they are rather simplistic compared to the rest of the soft goods.
Unlike the billowing cape, there is no wire in this hem, which prohibits the
same degree of control at the hands of the collector. In contrast to the
near-unwieldy length of the cape, these robes are very accurate to the film
costume in terms of length. The material used is similar to the nylon exterior
of the cape, but the robes are rougher to the touch.

While
visually not as dramatic or noticeable as the armor, the soft goods are really
the most impressive element in the entire figure’s design (the
highly-articulated RAH 301 body notwithstanding), and they set a high bar for
other companies to match with regards to the variety of materials used in such
mixed media scaled figures.

Articulation and Design Stability
– Excellent

As was
just mentioned, the Medicom Darth Vader utilizes the company’s RAH 301 base
body, one of the most advanced models in the entire Real Action Heroes line.
Typically, this is the body to which many Version 2’s upgrade (the Rocketeer
being a notable example in my mind), and both the articulation and stability are
very impressive when one takes into account the inherent restrictiveness of the
pleather bodysuit and plastic breast plate.

I was
most impressed with the range of motion the design permitted to Vader’s head.
Considering this is a three-stage assembled helmet with a thick, flared cap and
brace-like neck piece, I fully expected the plastic to be bumping into each
other. While this figure will never be able to crane its head back all the way,
it can tilt upward to approximately 30 degree angles and down to around 45
degrees. Lateral motion is a full 360 degrees, but it’s highly doubtful anyone
could create a meaningful pose with Vader pulling a Linda Blair head spin.

With
regards to the rest of the body, the degree of flexibility varies in direct
correlation to the surrounding clothes and armor. The mid-torso articulation is
extremely useful for flaring out Vader’s chest into an intimidating, regal
position, a pose that works exceptionally well with the included “belt hooking”
hands (more to come later on that). The arms are probably the least
manipulative part of the body as the breast plate hinders the vertical motion.
Additionally, the gloves interfere as well (again something that will be
expanded upon in the next section).

As for
the legs, they have a healthy range of motion and can be manipulated into a
kneeling position as long as great time, care, and patience are taken with the
task. Medicom’s bodies are made from notoriously brittle plastic, so the
likelihood of breakage is much higher than with Sideshow’s Art Buck body.
Fortunately, the boots help pick up whatever slack the leg articulation leaves
behind. The boots easily pop in and out of the body, which makes it much easier
to adjust the ankle articulation to suit specific needs. It also reduces the
risk of breakage, something that has unfortunately happened to the particular
Medicom Stormtrooper reviewed on this site several months ago.

Lastly,
the 301 body has the remarkable ability to maintain a solid center of gravity in
nearly every type of pose. At times, it can be tricky to find it as it may just
require a subtle shift in a single joint, but the payoff is worth the
experimentation. Once found, that center can balance the figure so well that
many poses can stand indefinitely without the need for a figure stand. That
is…barring any severe impact to the display surface. It certainly won’t stay
free-standing through a shoulder slamming against the shelf. Or an earthquake…

In any
event, pictures can better describe the full potential of Darth Vader’s range of
motion than words can say, so enjoy these additional images before moving on to
the two “Accessories” categories.

Gloves– Excellent (Variety),
Below Average (Functionality)

With
regards to accessories, the genuine standout for this figure is the wide
assortment of interchangeable gloves. The variety, when combined with the
naturalistic poseability inherent in the 301 body, produces an enormous palette
of display options. With the Revenge of the Sith version of Darth Vader,
all of the original hands from the Jedi release are included as well as
two new additions.

The
following hands are included with Darth Vader:

Pair
of saber grip hands

Pair
of belt hooking hands

Pair
of clenched fists – exclusive to this version

Force Push left hand

Pointing finger right hand

Cross-arm hands – exclusive to this version

That’s
a total of NINE different hands for a single figure!!

The
lightsaber grip hands are pretty standard compared to other figures in this
scale, but they can serve an alternate use for Vader: the Force choke gesture.
The belt hooking hands effectively replicate Vader’s signature stance of his
hands resting on his belt as he gazes out the viewport of a Star Destroyer. The
Force Push glove is a splayed out hand that can be posed palm facing out in a
Force push or palm up as if holding the holographic display of a planet under
the subjugation of the Galactic Empire. As for the pointing right hand…that one
is self-explanatory. Vader, especially in the Original Trilogy, was a major
proponent of sticking a finger in the faces of prisoners and subordinates.
Typically, the recipients ended up tortured or executed though. Not too good
for them…

The
exclusive glove sets allow collectors to replicate Darth Vader’s only two major
poses in the dénouement of the Prequel Trilogy. The clenched fists, in addition
to serving the figure well in threatening and intimidating poses, are essential
in simulating the Dark Lord’s infamous (and sometimes much-maligned) “Noooo!!!!”
scene where he reacts rather poorly to the news of his part in Padme’s
death.

The
cross arm hands are a much more interesting inclusion to the palette. They are
also the trickiest set to use, but that is an issue that will be addressed
shortly because the reason affects all of the hands.

One of
the biggest problems with the hands of 1/6th scale figures is that
they cannot effective emulate a true crossed arm pose. The inherent rigidity of
the plastic prevents this whereas flesh and bone hands can contort into the
appropriate shape. Medicom’s unorthodox approach was to create a set of joined
hands, a single piece sculpted in the shape of properly contorted hands with
shallow grooves in which the complementary arms can rest. To use them, pull
Vader’s arms into the correct position and thread the wrists into the
appropriate entry points. Unfortunately, the hands merely rest in place rather
than actually stick, so sudden movement will cause them to fall out. However,
the figure will stay in that pose indefinitely if left alone in position.

Now…the
reason why those hands don’t stick in place…

The
major negative issue with the interchangeable hands is this: there are no pegs
or anything to secure any of the hands in place. Sideshow and Hot Toys’ bodies
have peg joints. Medicom typically has a rod-like appendage as seen on the
Stormtrooper. The previous Return of the Jedi Darth Vader had flippers
which wedged themselves in the hands’ empty space.

This
version has nothing.

That’s
right. No connectors at all. Simply jam the hands onto the exposed arm.
Unfortunately, this means the hands pop off the figure very easily and very
frequently. It can be frustrating until the learning curve has run its course.
Once you get the hang of it, working with the majority of poses is relatively
stress-free. Also, the design prohibits any type of vertical or lateral
movement of the hands. They can only rotate on the wrist. It’s limiting and
typically devastating to a figure, but the wide assortment of hands heavily
negates the seriously flawed functionality.

Sith Lightsaber– Above Average
(Appearance), Average (Functionality)

Traditionally, Medicom’s Star Wars offerings are very light on
accessories when compared to Sideshow Collectibles’ figure line. Vader is no
exception with only a single lightsaber that can be converted from ignited to
hilt only via a simple peg and cap system. However, the work and care put into
this single accessory is decent.

The
hilt captures virtually all the minute details of the prop lightsaber—despite
never having actually seen the silver screen. The color palette closely matches
its real world counterpart, and the spacing of each component is extremely
accurate to the prop. Attention to detail is evident by the inclusions of such
elements as the little golden rivets on the main chassis and the cross-hatching
engraved near the weapon’s activator switch. With that aspect, the lines are
evenly spaced, and paint applications on them are very crisp and clear. The
only real loss of detail in comparison to the master prop is the lack of the
more subtle grooves on the very bottom of the hilt.

Despite
the attention to detail, the lightsaber has two flaws—one of which has resulted
in breakage on this sample. The peg used to connect the saber to the belt is
extremely small and brittle, which immediately broke the first time the hilt was
removed from the saber grip hand. Ultimately, this flaw can be easily
overlooked because the peg was useless. Remember…one key difference with this
incarnation of Vader as opposed to the earlier Episode VI release is that
there is no place to hang the hilt on the belt.

The
other flaw is a potential disaster waiting to happen, and it proves why
Sideshow’s practice of including two different lightsabers (hilt only and with
blade) is the best approach. In order to switch between saber formations, the
blade emitter is actually a cap that can be removed and replaced with an
alternate emitter that includes the blade. The problem is that the caps tend to
get stuck in the hilt, and one has to pull hard to detach them. Obviously, this
tremendously increases the risk of the fragile peg snapping off, and replacement
parts aren’t exactly easy to get for these figures. The best advice to minimize
the risk, aside from reducing the frequency of which the caps are changed, is to
slide the caps into place but just leave them rest loosely in there. They will
be much easier to remove this way.

In the
end, the lightsaber is an attractive piece, but great care must be taken in its
usage. Oddly enough, the same caveat would likely be the theme of “Lightsaber
Training: Day One” for Jedi Younglings.

“Fun Factor”
- Excellent

Putting
aside my obvious prejudice in favor of this figure, the RAH Darth Vader figure
provides just about as much fun as you can have with a high-end action figure of
this nature. While the comparatively incompatible Medicom scale does make Vader
look awkward among other sixth-scale Star Wars figures (especially
Sideshow’s Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker figure), it nevertheless looks quite
classy on the shelf and significantly adds to any Darth Vader, Dark Side, or
sixth-scale display.

The
enhanced poseability of the 301 body opens Vader up to a multitude of poses that
span an entire spectrum of actions and emotive poses. Reflective. Regal.
Authoritative. Enraged. Subservient. All of them are possible with this
figure. The nature of the sculpting, painting, and mixed media materials also
ensure that any pictures and/or Photoshop work will easily produce realistic
images.

Lastly,
because Darth Vader is such an iconic villain, he will look right at home posed
with a wide array of fellow sixth-scale Star Wars figures. Scale
differential aside, Vader makes for a menacing adversary dueling any Jedi
figures and an imposing force of evil amongst Imperials and Sith.

All
that being said, how can this figure be anything but excellent in this category?

Overall
Rating –
Excellent

Ultimately, this figure is a stellar example of several things. First, it
demonstrates an excellent use of mixed media through the effective selection of
appropriate cloths, pleather, plastics, and metal. Each element complements the
others and serves to enhance the lifelike nature commonly found in armored
Medicom figures. Second, it shows how superior craftsmanship can blind
collectors to the smaller flaws. There are many inconsistencies in this figure
and many areas where improvements could be made, but the overall package is so
outstanding that those flaws become trivial and forgettable. Third, this figure
establishes a high standard for Sideshow Collectibles to meet with regards to
the design and execution of armored figures. Granted, the quality here is
matched by a hefty price tag (this sample cost $130 shipped from Razor’s Edge
Collectibles, and that was a fantastic deal as opposed to eBay), but it
establishes a highly effective blueprint to follow—predominantly in the area of
quality mixed media materials.

And
that brings us at last to the end of this review, and I’m sure your collective
derrieres are quite happy to hear that. But I owed it to both this figure and
character to craft the most in-depth analysis that I possibly could.

I ask
one more thing of you, dear readers. After you close this window and go on with
your lives, take some time to think about your own collections, be it Star
Wars or something entirely different, and figure out what your particular
Grails are and have been. Then consider why those and make those emotional
reconnects with them. I’m sure you will quickly rediscover that magic which
first brought you into this hobby.